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Journalist
Xinlong:
The Horticultural Bureau facilitated the shipment of another 2,000 kilograms (2 metric tons) of Khasi citrus from Ardong Phlangwar Organic Producers Cooperative Ltd in the south-western Khasi Mountains to Doha, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, on December 16.
Director of Horticulture D. Sohtun told reporters that this is the second batch of consignments launched, the first being from Jirang Organic Agro Producer Company.
“This is our second shipment to Doha and Bahrain. The first shipment is from Jirang Organic Agro Producer Company,” she said.
Banrishisha Mukhim, deputy director of the horticulture department, said farmers were paid Rs 10 per piece and there were no middlemen involved.
Sohtun said the department will send more citrus if the market demands it.
It is worth mentioning that the citrus is sourced and exported by Lulu Group International, a Dubai-based retail chain based in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The Organic Producer Co-operative Society Limited was established in 2021-22, registered under the Co-operative Societies Act, undergoing organic transformation in the first year, consisting of 18 villages with 500 hectares of land and 500 farmer members.
The horticulture department observed that it was like a dream come true for farmers who had been struggling.
On December 1, 2022, the Department of Horticulture, Government of Meghalaya under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (INM Division)’s Organic Value Chain Development Mission in the North East Region (MOVCDNER) program in partnership with the Agricultural Products and Processed Foods Export Development Authority (APEDA) marked Exported the first batch of Khasi Mandarin – Meghalaya GI from Jirang Organic Agro Producer Company.
The citrus was then bought and exported from Universe Export by Nagpur-based exporter Pravin Wankhade, who also comes from a family of farmers, and the trial shipment was shipped to Dubai, UAE.
completely organic in the future
Mukhim said the ministry is instructing farmers on organic farming.
“These are not fully organic citrus. We are currently in the first year of conversion, but we will turn them into fully organic certified Khasi citrus because we will help farmers for three years,” she said.
Farmers should love fruit trees
Regarding the recent drop in citrus production, Sohtun said farmers should take good care of the mandarin fruit.
“Most of the time, people see farmers planting fruit trees and not tending to them. We teach them all the time,” she said.
Another reason for the decline in citrus production is the lack of use of fertilizers. The department will organize a citrus revival program to raise awareness among farmers.
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